AMAP Greenland and the Faroe Islands 1997-2001

Table of Contents

Preface

Introduction

1 Danish National Report Introduction
   1.1 Major achievements in the International and Danish AMAP Human Health Programme during Phase 2.
   1.2 New results.
      1.2.1 Monitoring of exposure:
      1.2.2 Effects of exposure:
   1.3 The National Report.
      1.3.1 Greenland.
      1.3.2 The Faroe Islands.

2 Sociocultural environment, lifestyle, and health in Greenland
   2.1 Settlement structure
   2.2 Language, culture and Economy
   2.3 Lifestyle
   2.4 Disease pattern
   2.5 Health care
   2.6 References

3 Contaminants in Subsistence Animals in Greenland
   3.1 Introduction
   3.2 Methods
      3.2.1 Sampling
   3.3 Results
      3.3.1 Metals
      3.3.2 Organochlorines (OCs)
   3.4 References

4 The Human Health Programme in Greenland1997-2001
   4.1 Introduction
   4.2 Methodology by project/study group.
      4.2.1 Pregnant women and infants 1994-97
      4.2.2 Pregnant women 1999-2001
      4.2.2.3 International guideline values
      4.2.3 Pilot study, Geographical distribution of contaminant burden, men from 5 districts in Greenland 1997
      4.2.4 Cross sectional study Uummanaq 1999
      4.2.5 Men and non- pregnant women East Greenland, 1999-2000.
      4.2.6 Dietary Survey, pilot study, 1999
   4.3 Results by project/ study group
      4.3.1 Pregnant women and infants.1994-2001
      4.3.2 Geographical study 1997
      4.3.3 Men and non-pregnant women 1999-2000
      4.3.4 Percentages of samples exceeding guidelines for blood levels of pollutants
      4.3.6 Associations between contaminants and other factors
      4.3.7 Dietary exposure from local food items.
   4.4 Summary
      4.4.1 Heavy metals
      4.4.2 Organochlorines
      4.4.3 Dietary Markers
      4.4.4 Dietary surveys
      4.4.5 Dietary exposure from contaminants
      4.4.6 Predictors of high contaminant levels
      4.4.7 Time trends.
   4.5 References

5 The Faroe Islands. Sociocultural environment, lifestyle, health and contaminant exposure
   5.1 Settlement Sructure
   5.2 Language and Culture
   5.3 Lifestyle  
   5.4 Disease pattern
   5.5 Health Care
   5.6 Contaminants in Faroese subsistence food
      5.6.1 Heavy metals
      5.6.2 POPs
      5.6.3 Dioxins
      5.6.4 Flame retardants
   5.7 References

6 The Human Health programme in the Faroe Islands 1985-2001
   6.1 Introduction
   6.2 Effects of marine pollutants on development in Faroese children
      6.2.1 Introduction
      6.2.2 Methods
      6.2.3 Results
      6.2.4 Discussion
      6.2.5 Conclusions
      6.2.6 Summary
      6.2.7 Appendix
   6.3 Dietary Survey of Faroese Women in Third Trimester of Pregnancy
      6.3.1 Material and Methods:
      6.3.2 Results
      6.3.3 Discussion:
   6.4 Exposure to Seafood Contaminants and Immune Response in Faroese Children
   6.5 Exposure to mercury and organochlorines 1985-2001.
      6.5.1 Introduction
      6.5.2 Mercury in maternal blood
      6.5.3 Mercury in maternal hair samples
      6.5.4 Mercury in umbilical cord blood
      6.5.5 Mercury in breast milk
      6.5.6 MeHg in hair in children
      6.5.7 Mercury in children at age 7 years
      6.5.8 PCB in maternal serum
      6.5.9 PCB in cord blood
      6.5.10 PCB in breast milk
      6.5.11 Lead in cord blood
      6.5.12 Selenium
      6.5.13 Other contaminants in maternal serum
      6.5.15 Contamination levels in two consecutive pregnancies
      6.5.16 Influence of dietary recommendation
      6.5.17 Diet during pregnancy
      6.5.18 Comparison of contamination in Faroese and non-Faroese mothers
      6.5.19 Description of study populations
   6.6 Acknowledgement
   6.7 References

7 The Human Health Effects Biomarker Program
   7.1 Introduction
      7.1.1 Endocrine disruption
      7.1.2 Exposure to chemical mixtures
      7.1.3 POPs, gene polymorphism and hormone metabolism
      7.1.4 Effect on hormone receptor numbers
      7.1.5 The AMAP Human Health Effects Monitoring Programme
   7.2 Methods
      7.2.1 Determination of xenohormone activities in serum.
      7.2.2 Determination of the sum of serum dioxin-like activities
      7.2.3 Determination of estrogen metabolites in urine
      7.2.4 Determination of inflammatory cytokines in serum
   7.3 Results
      7.3.1 Determination of xenohormon and dioxin-like activities in serum samples
      7.3.2 Measurement of cytokine levels in serum
      7.3.3 Determination of the ratio of estrogen metabolites in urine
      7.3.4 Genotyping and gene expression
   7.4 Discussion and Perspectives
   7.5 References

8 Conclusions and recommendations
   8.1 General conclusions
   8.2 General Recommendations.
   8.3 Specific conclusions
      8.3.1 Conclusions from the AMAP, HH Programme in Greenland
      8.3.2 Recommendations for Greenland
      8.3.3 Conclusions and Recommendations from The Faroe Islands.
   8.4 Main Conclusion